Case notes – Te Kete Atawhai Cluster (Windsor Lead School)
a. Inquiry / Integrated Learning
One of our cluster's main goals this year is to develop action plans and models for inquiry/ integrated learning within each school. To support and initiate this goal, we invited Perry Rush and his team from Island Bay School in Wellington to share their inquiry journey with us by way of a one day workshop held at Windsor School in December and attended by all cluster staff. The plan was then to follow up by actually visiting Island Bay School to see inquiry in action. This blossomed into a full three day Thinking and Learning Tour of four schools, namely, College Street Normal in Palmerston North, Coley Street School in Foxton, and Brooklyn and Island Bay schools in Wellington. Combining the three tours that took place in Term One and two tours in Term Two (the last tour is in June), a total of 83 cluster staff participated, gaining valuable exposure to other school's journeys. All four schools had different approaches to inquiry, and had created their own models based on a variety of influences, giving our cluster staff a wealth of knowledge and guidance.
Two schools sent their entire staff on these Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours, but as this was not possible for all schools, it was decided to create a mini tour in our local area. As a result, a tour has been set up to visit two North Canterbury schools, namely North Loburn School and Clarkville School. These tours will take place later this term with a further 45 cluster staff attending, taking our total exposure to 128 cluster staff.
The Thinking and Learning tour was an initiative designed to give our cluster a narrow focus on integrated learning rather than a general bus tour. This allowed us to have staff come back with shared understandings that will shape future decision making.
b. Describe the change
The third day on our Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours was setup as a planning day, where those on the tour reflected on what they had seen and heard, and set about planning for their own school. Once back in Christchurch, the individual schools continued to develop their ideas and plans.
Staff have come back from the Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours buzzing with excitment.
" Just outstanding!!! The schools were so welcoming and gave up so much of their time for us....each school had lots of what was special to them to share and we were able to gain something to take back for our own practice from each one." Jo, Ilam School. "A big thank you for organising the Wellington Bus tour from our staff and myself. We have come back absolutely buzzing and with a clearer direction of where we need to head next." Steve, Wainoni School.
The change is evident in the learning models that are been developed/ refined in each school and the collective ownership for these models. In addition staff developed their own goals and implemented some immediate changes in their teaching and learning practice.
c. What supported the change?
The cluster has supported this change by organising the Island Bay workshop in December with Perry Rush and his staff, and by providing the opportunity for cluster staff to participate in the Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours and the North Canterbury Tours. These tours have been a major undertaking, and have been our main focus for Terms One and Two. As mentioned above, by the end of Term 2, when the final tours have taken place, 128 staff from our cluster schools will have had exposure to a rich variety of pedagogy from a variety of schools.
The new cluster wiki is also there to support staff by offering useful links and readings, and providing a place for online collaboration.
Case notes – Te Kete Atawhai Cluster (Windsor Lead School)
a. Inquiry / Integrated Learning
One of our cluster's main goals this year is to develop action plans and models for inquiry/ integrated learning within each school. To support and initiate this goal, we invited Perry Rush and his team from Island Bay School in Wellington to share their inquiry journey with us by way of a one day workshop held at Windsor School in December and attended by all cluster staff. The plan was then to follow up by actually visiting Island Bay School to see inquiry in action. This blossomed into a full three day Thinking and Learning Tour of four schools, namely, College Street Normal in Palmerston North, Coley Street School in Foxton, and Brooklyn and Island Bay schools in Wellington. Combining the three tours that took place in Term One and two tours in Term Two (the last tour is in June), a total of 83 cluster staff participated, gaining valuable exposure to other school's journeys. All four schools had different approaches to inquiry, and had created their own models based on a variety of influences, giving our cluster staff a wealth of knowledge and guidance.
Two schools sent their entire staff on these Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours, but as this was not possible for all schools, it was decided to create a mini tour in our local area. As a result, a tour has been set up to visit two North Canterbury schools, namely North Loburn School and Clarkville School. These tours will take place later this term with a further 45 cluster staff attending, taking our total exposure to 128 cluster staff.
The Thinking and Learning tour was an initiative designed to give our cluster a narrow focus on integrated learning rather than a general bus tour. This allowed us to have staff come back with shared understandings that will shape future decision making.
b. Describe the change
The third day on our Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours was setup as a planning day, where those on the tour reflected on what they had seen and heard, and set about planning for their own school. Once back in Christchurch, the individual schools continued to develop their ideas and plans.
Staff have come back from the Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours buzzing with excitment.
" Just outstanding!!! The schools were so welcoming and gave up so much of their time for us....each school had lots of what was special to them to share and we were able to gain something to take back for our own practice from each one." Jo, Ilam School.
"A big thank you for organising the Wellington Bus tour from our staff and myself. We have come back absolutely buzzing and with a clearer direction of where we need to head next." Steve, Wainoni School.
The change is evident in the learning models that are been developed/ refined in each school and the collective ownership for these models. In addition staff developed their own goals and implemented some immediate changes in their teaching and learning practice.
c. What supported the change?
The cluster has supported this change by organising the Island Bay workshop in December with Perry Rush and his staff, and by providing the opportunity for cluster staff to participate in the Wellington Thinking and Learning Tours and the North Canterbury Tours. These tours have been a major undertaking, and have been our main focus for Terms One and Two. As mentioned above, by the end of Term 2, when the final tours have taken place, 128 staff from our cluster schools will have had exposure to a rich variety of pedagogy from a variety of schools.
The new cluster wiki is also there to support staff by offering useful links and readings, and providing a place for online collaboration.